{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,12]],"date-time":"2026-10-12T18:27:41Z","timestamp":1791829661648,"version":"4.3.4"},"reference-count":52,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"12","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2023,6,20]],"date-time":"2023-06-20T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1687219200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Diagnostics"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Cross-sectional imaging of the upper abdomen, especially if intravenous contrast has been administered, will most likely reveal any acute or chronic disease harbored in the spleen. Unless imaging is performed with the specific purpose of evaluating the spleen or characterizing a known splenic lesion, incidentally discovered splenic lesions pose a small challenge. Solitary benign splenic lesions include cysts, hemangiomas, sclerosing angiomatous nodular transformation (SANT), hamartomas, and abscesses, among others. Sarcoidosis and tuberculosis, although predominantly diffuse micronodular disease processes, may also present as a solitary splenic mass lesion. In addition, infarction and rupture, both traumatic and spontaneous, may take place in the spleen. This review aims to describe the imaging features of the most common benign focal splenic lesions, with emphasis on the imaging findings as these are encountered on routine cross-sectional imaging from a multicenter pool of cases that, coupled with clinical information, can allow a definite diagnosis.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/diagnostics13122120","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2023,6,20]],"date-time":"2023-06-20T03:02:13Z","timestamp":1687230133000},"page":"2120","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":16,"title":["The Spectrum of Solitary Benign Splenic Lesions\u2014Imaging Clues for a Noninvasive Diagnosis"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"13","author":[{"given":"Sofia","family":"Gourtsoyianni","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"1st Department of Radiology, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Areteion Hospital, 76, Vas. Sophias Ave., 11528 Athens, Greece"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Michael","family":"Laniado","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Institute and Policlinic for Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, TU Dresden, Fetscherstra\u00dfe 74, 01307 Dresden, Germany"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-2367-0536","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Luis","family":"Ros-Mendoza","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Radiology, Miguel Servet University Hospital, Paseo Isabel la Cat\u00f3lica 1-3, 50009 Zaragoza, Spain"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Giancarlo","family":"Mansueto","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Istituto di Radiologia, DAI Patologia e Diagnostica, Policlinico GB Rossi, AOUI Verona, 37134 Verona, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-5059-3305","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Giulia A.","family":"Zamboni","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Istituto di Radiologia, DAI Patologia e Diagnostica, Policlinico GB Rossi, AOUI Verona, 37134 Verona, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2023,6,20]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"816","DOI":"10.1007\/s00330-012-2636-6","article-title":"Potentially relevant incidental findings on research whole-body MRI in the general adult population: Frequencies and management","volume":"23","author":"Hegenscheid","year":"2013","journal-title":"Eur. Radiol."},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"484","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jemermed.2008.11.019","article-title":"The Prevalence of Incidental Findings on Abdominal Computed Tomography Scans of Trauma Patients","volume":"38","author":"Ekeh","year":"2010","journal-title":"J. Emerg. Med."},{"key":"ref_3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"930","DOI":"10.3348\/kjr.2018.19.5.930","article-title":"Role of CT in Differentiating Malignant Focal Splenic Lesions","volume":"19","author":"Jang","year":"2018","journal-title":"Korean J. Radiol."},{"key":"ref_4","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"709","DOI":"10.2214\/AJR.07.3988","article-title":"Differentiation of Benign from Malignant Focal Splenic Lesions Using Sulfur Hexafluoride\u2013Filled Microbubble Contrast-Enhanced Pulse-Inversion Sonography","volume":"193","author":"Stang","year":"2009","journal-title":"Am. J. Roentgenol."},{"key":"ref_5","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"543","DOI":"10.1002\/jcu.23414","article-title":"Multimodality ultrasound assessment of the spleen: Normal appearances and emergency abnormalities","volume":"51","author":"Iacobellis","year":"2023","journal-title":"J. Clin. Ultrasound"},{"key":"ref_6","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1521","DOI":"10.2214\/AJR.05.0778","article-title":"ADC Measurement of Abdominal Organs and Lesions Using Parallel Imaging Technique","volume":"187","author":"Yoshikawa","year":"2006","journal-title":"Am. J. Roentgenol."},{"key":"ref_7","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"803","DOI":"10.2214\/AJR.13.11914","article-title":"Differentiation of Malignant from Benign Focal Splenic Lesions: Added Value of Diffusion-Weighted MRI","volume":"203","author":"Jang","year":"2014","journal-title":"Am. J. Roentgenol."},{"key":"ref_8","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"20160054","DOI":"10.1259\/bjr.20160054","article-title":"The value of con-trast-enhanced dynamic and diffusion-weighted MR imaging for distinguishing benign and malignant splenic masses","volume":"89","author":"Choi","year":"2016","journal-title":"Br. J. Radiol."},{"key":"ref_9","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"345","DOI":"10.1007\/s11307-012-0600-0","article-title":"Dynamic Changes of FDG Uptake and Clearance in Normal Tissues","volume":"15","author":"Cheng","year":"2013","journal-title":"Mol. Imaging Biol."},{"key":"ref_10","first-page":"1456","article-title":"Splenic fluorodeoxyglucose uptake increased by granulocyte colony-stimulating factor therapy: PET imaging results","volume":"40","author":"Sugawara","year":"1999","journal-title":"J. Nucl. Med."},{"key":"ref_11","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"763","DOI":"10.1097\/MNM.0b013e32832fa254","article-title":"Clinical significance of diffusely increased splenic uptake on FDG-PET","volume":"30","author":"Liu","year":"2009","journal-title":"Nucl. Med. Commun."},{"key":"ref_12","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"420","DOI":"10.1053\/j.sult.2006.06.005","article-title":"The Role of 18F-FDG PET\/CT in the Evaluation of Solid Splenic Masses","volume":"27","author":"Metser","year":"2006","journal-title":"Semin. Ultrasound CT MRI"},{"key":"ref_13","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"525","DOI":"10.1016\/j.clinimag.2014.12.021","article-title":"Multimodality imaging of Epstein\u2013Barr virus-associated inflammatory pseudotumor-like follicular dendritic cell tumor of the spleen: Case report and literature review","volume":"39","author":"Bui","year":"2015","journal-title":"Clin. Imaging"},{"key":"ref_14","unstructured":"IARC (2020). WHO Classification of Tumours Soft Tissue and Bone Toumors, International Agency for Research on Cancer."},{"key":"ref_15","first-page":"85","article-title":"Extrapulmonary inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor: A clinical and pathological survey","volume":"15","author":"Coffin","year":"1998","journal-title":"Semin. Diagn. Pathol."},{"key":"ref_16","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"357","DOI":"10.1097\/01.sle.0000213738.77654.02","article-title":"Inflammatory Pseudotumor of the Spleen Managed Laparoscopically. Can Preoperative Imaging Establish the Diagnosis?","volume":"16","author":"Shapiro","year":"2006","journal-title":"Surg. Laparosc. Endosc. Percutaneous Tech."},{"key":"ref_17","first-page":"1460","article-title":"Inflammatory Pseudotumour of the Spleen: A Diagnostic Dilemma","volume":"7","author":"Kalaivani","year":"2013","journal-title":"J. Clin. Diagn. Res."},{"key":"ref_18","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"21","DOI":"10.1053\/j.sult.2006.10.004","article-title":"Splenic Sarcoidosis","volume":"28","author":"Warshauer","year":"2007","journal-title":"Semin. Ultrasound CT MRI"},{"key":"ref_19","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"4628439","DOI":"10.1155\/2018\/4628439","article-title":"Sarcoidosis and Its Splenic Wonder: A Rare Case of Isolated Splenic Sarcoidosis","volume":"2018","author":"Jhaveri","year":"2018","journal-title":"Case Rep. Med."},{"key":"ref_20","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"893","DOI":"10.4081\/monaldi.2017.893","article-title":"Clinical features and prognostic significance of splenic involvement in sarcoidosis","volume":"87","author":"Tetikkurt","year":"2017","journal-title":"Monaldi Arch. Chest Dis."},{"key":"ref_21","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"315","DOI":"10.2214\/AJR.13.11777","article-title":"Nonneoplastic, Benign, and Malignant Splenic Diseases: Cross-Sectional Imaging Findings and Rare Disease Entities","volume":"203","author":"Thipphavong","year":"2014","journal-title":"Am. J. Roentgenol."},{"key":"ref_22","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"571","DOI":"10.1007\/s13244-016-0495-4","article-title":"Clinical and radiological features of extra-pulmonary sarcoidosis: A pictorial essay","volume":"7","author":"Palmucci","year":"2016","journal-title":"Insights Into Imaging"},{"key":"ref_23","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"S\u00e8ve, P., Pacheco, Y., Durupt, F., Jamilloux, Y., Gerfaud-Valentin, M., Isaac, S., Boussel, L., Calender, A., Androdias, G., and Valeyre, D. (2021). Sarcoidosis: A Clinical Overview from Symptoms to Diagnosis. Cells, 10.","DOI":"10.3390\/cells10040766"},{"key":"ref_24","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"278","DOI":"10.5858\/arpa.2013-0656-RS","article-title":"Splenic Lymphangioma","volume":"139","author":"Ioannidis","year":"2015","journal-title":"Arch. Pathol. Lab. Med."},{"key":"ref_25","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"107","DOI":"10.1148\/radiographics.16.1.107","article-title":"Cystic masses of the spleen: Radiologic-pathologic correlation","volume":"16","author":"Urrutia","year":"1996","journal-title":"RadioGraphics"},{"key":"ref_26","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"435","DOI":"10.1148\/rg.2018170119","article-title":"Cross-sectional Imaging of Splenic Lesions: RadioGraphics fundamentals\/online presentation","volume":"38","author":"Lee","year":"2018","journal-title":"RadioGraphics"},{"key":"ref_27","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"537","DOI":"10.2214\/ajr.147.3.537","article-title":"Nonparasitic splenic cysts: A report of 52 cases with radiologic-pathologic correlation","volume":"147","author":"Dachman","year":"1986","journal-title":"Am. J. Roentgenol."},{"key":"ref_28","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"231","DOI":"10.1097\/00000658-197803000-00002","article-title":"Splenic Epidermoid Cysts","volume":"187","author":"Robbins","year":"1978","journal-title":"Ann. Surg."},{"key":"ref_29","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"13899","DOI":"10.3748\/wjg.v20.i38.13899","article-title":"Epithelial cysts of the spleen: A minireview","volume":"20","author":"Ingle","year":"2014","journal-title":"World J. Gastroenterol."},{"key":"ref_30","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"6884","DOI":"10.3748\/wjg.v11.i43.6884","article-title":"Non-parasitic splenic cysts: A report of three cases","volume":"11","author":"Macheras","year":"2005","journal-title":"World J. Gastroenterol."},{"key":"ref_31","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e1363","DOI":"10.1097\/MD.0000000000001363","article-title":"Acute splenic infarction at an academic general hospital over 10 years: Presentation, etiology, and outcome","volume":"94","author":"Schattner","year":"2015","journal-title":"Medicine"},{"key":"ref_32","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1137","DOI":"10.1148\/rg.244045006","article-title":"From the Archives of the AFIP: Primary vascular neoplasms of the spleen: Radiologic-pathologic correlation","volume":"24","author":"Abbott","year":"2004","journal-title":"RadioGraphics"},{"key":"ref_33","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"611","DOI":"10.1016\/S1091-255X(00)80110-9","article-title":"Hemangioma of the spleen: Presentation, diagnosis, and management","volume":"4","author":"Willcox","year":"2000","journal-title":"J. Gastrointest. Surg."},{"key":"ref_34","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e937195-1","DOI":"10.12659\/AJCR.937195","article-title":"Splenic Hamartoma: A Case Report and Literature Review","volume":"23","author":"Obeidat","year":"2022","journal-title":"Am. J. Case Rep."},{"key":"ref_35","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"65","DOI":"10.1007\/s13244-012-0202-z","article-title":"Computed tomography of the spleen: How to interpret the hypodense lesion","volume":"4","author":"Karlo","year":"2013","journal-title":"Insights Into Imaging"},{"key":"ref_36","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"154","DOI":"10.1007\/s00261-012-9880-8","article-title":"Multi-modality imaging findings of splenic hamartoma: A report of nine cases and review of the literature","volume":"38","author":"Wang","year":"2013","journal-title":"Abdom. Imaging"},{"key":"ref_37","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"147","DOI":"10.4240\/wjgs.v2.i4.147","article-title":"Laparoscopic splenectomy for splenic hamartoma: Case management and clinical consequences","volume":"2","author":"Namikawa","year":"2010","journal-title":"World J. Gastrointest. Surg."},{"key":"ref_38","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"133","DOI":"10.11622\/smedj.2015040","article-title":"Imaging of the spleen: What the clinician needs to know","volume":"56","author":"Vancauwenberghe","year":"2015","journal-title":"Singap. Med. J."},{"key":"ref_39","first-page":"175","article-title":"Clinical Landscape of Littoral Cell Angioma in the Spleen Based on a Comprehensive Analysis","volume":"12","author":"Wang","year":"2022","journal-title":"Front. Oncol."},{"key":"ref_40","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"3545","DOI":"10.1016\/j.radcr.2022.06.063","article-title":"Incidental littoral cell angioma of the spleen: Cross-sectional imaging findings and review of the literature","volume":"17","author":"Arcuri","year":"2022","journal-title":"Radiol. Case Rep."},{"key":"ref_41","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"12","DOI":"10.5334\/jbsr.2689","article-title":"Sclerosing Angiomatoid Nodular Transformation of the Spleen: A Diagnostic Conundrum","volume":"106","author":"Eede","year":"2022","journal-title":"J. Belg. Soc. Radiol."},{"key":"ref_42","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1309","DOI":"10.5858\/arpa.2012-0601-RS","article-title":"Sclerosing Angiomatoid Nodular Transformation of the Spleen","volume":"137","author":"Pradhan","year":"2013","journal-title":"Arch. Pathol. Lab. Med."},{"key":"ref_43","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Chen, N.-X., Wang, M.-L., Wang, H.-X., and Zeng, M.-S. (2023). Sclerosing angiomatoid nodular transformation of the spleen: Multimodality imaging features and literature review. BMC Med. Imaging, 23.","DOI":"10.1186\/s12880-023-01008-3"},{"key":"ref_44","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"4828","DOI":"10.1007\/s00261-021-03130-8","article-title":"Cross-sectional imaging findings of splenic infections: Is differential diagnosis possible?","volume":"46","author":"Karaosmanoglu","year":"2021","journal-title":"Abdom. Imaging"},{"key":"ref_45","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"570","DOI":"10.1007\/s00261-014-0080-6","article-title":"Multimodality imaging of splenic lesions and the role of non-vascular, image-guided intervention","volume":"39","author":"Wasnik","year":"2014","journal-title":"Abdom. Imaging"},{"key":"ref_46","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"967","DOI":"10.1148\/rg.254045154","article-title":"MR Imaging of the Spleen: Spectrum of Abnormalities","volume":"25","author":"Elsayes","year":"2005","journal-title":"RadioGraphics"},{"key":"ref_47","first-page":"49","article-title":"Splenic tuberculosis: A comprehensive review of literature","volume":"90","author":"Gupta","year":"2018","journal-title":"Pol. J. Surg."},{"key":"ref_48","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"154","DOI":"10.1186\/s12957-016-0905-6","article-title":"Solitary splenic tuberculosis: A case report and review of the literature","volume":"14","author":"Lin","year":"2016","journal-title":"World J. Surg. Oncol."},{"key":"ref_49","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"41","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ijid.2017.12.009","article-title":"Splenic tuberculosis","volume":"67","author":"Tojo","year":"2018","journal-title":"Int. J. Infect. Dis."},{"key":"ref_50","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"518","DOI":"10.1128\/JCM.02420-15","article-title":"Cystic Echinococcosis","volume":"54","author":"Higuita","year":"2016","journal-title":"J. Clin. Microbiol."},{"key":"ref_51","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"15","DOI":"10.25122\/jml-2021-0221","article-title":"Splenic-preserving surgery in hydatid spleen: A single institutional experience","volume":"15","author":"Muhammad","year":"2022","journal-title":"J. Med. Life"},{"key":"ref_52","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"459","DOI":"10.1148\/radiology.139.2.7220891","article-title":"Ultrasound examination of the hydatic liver","volume":"139","author":"Gharbi","year":"1981","journal-title":"Radiology"}],"container-title":["Diagnostics"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2075-4418\/13\/12\/2120\/pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,10]],"date-time":"2025-10-10T19:56:57Z","timestamp":1760126217000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2075-4418\/13\/12\/2120"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2023,6,20]]},"references-count":52,"journal-issue":{"issue":"12","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2023,6]]}},"alternative-id":["diagnostics13122120"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/diagnostics13122120","relation":{},"ISSN":["2075-4418"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2075-4418","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2023,6,20]]}}}